PCs:
- Vili the 'Dodger', CG Halfling Rogue (Trapmaster, going Arcane Trickster)
- Thorsten, CN Dwarven Barbarian
- Hendal the Laughing, CG Human Cleric of Cayden Cailean
Background Notes
I spent considerable time ensuring all the PCs had a strong history with Sandpoint. As such I wanted them all to have some familiarity with the townsfolk including some rumors. So I let them know in advance about the Late Unpleasantness, so they knew that the town ceremony was in part to commemorate the new church after the fires which marked those events. (bit of foreshadowing). I also felt that after Tsuto's birth, that Longjiku would have been the talk of the town (gossipwise) and his wife's death would always make him look suspect, whether he was charged or not. Especially after Tsuto's birth and their clash at her funeral.
- The halfling, Vili was the child of halfling roaming merchants, orphaned in a goblin raid on the road near Sandpoint and adopted by Father Ezakien. He was also raised alongside Nualia - before the events of the Late Unpleasantness. He looked up to Nualia fondly as an elder sister (this idea was shamelessly ripped from these boards). He was then taken in by Father Zantus but it didn't work out. He will in with the Sczarni and started hanging with them before he was adopted by Ilsoari, head of the Tundarok Academy, hoping to get him to use his talents for more constructive pursuits (Ilsoari is a rogue/wizard so someone going Arcane Trickster it seemed fitting).
- The dwarf, Thorsten, fled from the Five Kingdoms with his mother after a mountain raid and being a nomadic tribe, they drifted and wound up settling with his uncle here in Sandpoint. Goblins wiped out his former tribe and killed his father so he REALLY hates them.
- The human, Hendal, is an Ulften by birth and a missionary who has come to spread the word of Cayden Cailean. Has met Father Zantus and spoke to him about building the faith in the town. Has spent extensive time in all the taverns and inns and decided to erect appropriate shrines to Cayden Cailean in all of them. Oh and he hates goblins.
NOTE: All three wrote goblins into their backstory without any prompting from me, which I found hillarious.
Also, I've chosen not to award XP - I'll just level the PCs up at the appropriate time. This makes levelling and XP management much more seemless and keeps them focused on the story.
BURNT OFFERINGS
[u]SESSION 1[/u]
The PCs attempted various games. The cleric spend considerable time paying homage at the beer tasting, as did the dwarf. The halfling tride the pole balancing competition but had a bad day. The irony being he beat the dwarf at the strongman competitions, much to the cleric's enjoyment.
I had Madame Muvashti bump into the dwarf and promise him a fortune telling at some point (when my damn Harrow deck comes in) but now was a bad time. She told him to gather his friends at the podium, Father Zantus was about to deliver a speech. At that point, the goblins struck. I was hoping this might reinforce the seer aspect to Muvashti but it was totally overlooked while they were keen to bash goblins (*sigh*).
The players handled the goblins without much difficulty although they exhausted their rage, spells and most of their healing by the time they saved Aldern. The dwarf slew the goblin which threatened his dog (the goblin botched his swing at the dog before the PCs charged) so I had Aldern immediately ingratiate himself to the dwarf. Ameiko offers them board and they try to interrogate the goblins but only learn that one of the "longshanks" was leading them.
That evening I had Longjiku turn up at the inn and start yelling at the PCs for interfering and causing the scene with the goblins, making the catastrophy worse. Ameiko came out and had her argument with her father and the PCs nearly interceded but she dealt with it. Aldern entered the inn not long thereafter and offers a reward, buys them around and offers to take them boar hunting the next day. The players already suspect Lonjiku's absence from the festival as highly suspicious, the show down with Ameiko and his rant against them as indicative of guilt and already talking about breaking into his manor and checking out the glass works (did I foreshadow too much??). I had Aldern intervene immediately as a pattern interrupt as I had no idea how to deal with this if they did this right then and now.
The boar hunt really dragged on. My PCs were very suspicious of Aldern and his generosity and it wasn't until a few Sense Motive checks later they accepted he wasn't the "longshanks" behind the raid and he was just an indebted albeit eccentric guy. But based on his behaviour they thought he was "wierd". (I haven't figured out if this is a good thing or bad yet). The dwarf wasn't having a bar of Aldern's hero worship and gave him little. The halfling however chatted away, giving as much as he could to Aldern. The fact the dwarf was a dour, uncharismatic blockhead with Aldern (and his refusal to ride horses) made it quite difficult for me to have Aldern see anything of interest in him, so I made it that his hero worship was so extreme that he overwrote the dwarf's utter indifference towards him as modesty.
That evening, back at the Rusty Dragon, the PCs met with Sherriff Hemlock, who arrived at the request of Father Zantus, to meet at the Boneyard. I had the PCs hit it off with the Sherriff. Being he is Chaotic Good and a Shoanti native, I felt he would appeal more to the teachings of Cayden Cailean and so he is starting to bond with the cleric rather well. I think having the Sherriff become a strong ally quickly helps. He mentions that Shalelu is coming (ranger & goblin expert) is coming soon (more foreshadowing) and she might be able to give some advice on what tribes they came from and what bought them here.
The PCs head to the Boneyard and quickly worked out that the bones of Father Ezakien were stolen, the animated skeletons were the aftermath of whoever broke in to steal the bones of the dead Father and goblin tracks and a humanoid was involved. They screwed their Survival test so I just had it that Hemlock deduced that they came in and exited over the wall during the raid (the plot at this bit seems weak here, if he is the Sherriff why would he not investigate this himself? If he can solve the Chopper murders I don't think one disturbed crypt would be an issue).
The PCs realise that the goblin raid was a diversion, but why someone would want the bones of the father, they did not know.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Not sure what will happen next but I'm pretty sure they will be on Longjiku in a flash, whatever happens. That is concerning, given Ameiko hasn't even gone missing yet. Any idea how to handle this?
Also suspect they'll be getting a Harrow reading at some point. Hope my damned cards arrived soon.
